Outlet louver construction



April 17, 1956 M. H. SWOR I 2,741,973

OUTLET LOUVER CONSTRUCTION Filed NOV. 23, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR M L) RFF H Swag ATTORNEY April 17, 1956 M. H. swoR 2,741,973

OUTLET LOUVER CONSTRUCTION Filed NOV. 23, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 OUTS/0f INVENT OR B@)/MWMV ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,741,973 OUTLET LOUVER CONSTRUCTION Murlf H. Swor, Shreveport, Manufacturing Co., Inc., of Delaware Application November 23, 1951, Serial No. 257,677 4 Claims. (Cl. 912-121 La., assignor to Bar-Brook Shreveport, La., a corporation 1 This invention relates to louvers and particularly of the type to repel rain water and adapted to reduce the amount entering the house through the space between the louver blades.

The conventional types of louvers provide lips on the inside which has been believed capable of preventing the wind or air from blowing the water up the louver blade but tests have proven differently. Normally, the water will drain down the louver blade and drip off the leading or outside edge and unless provisions are made to prevent this the water will find its way inside with usual unsatisfactory results.

In the conventional type of louver constructions, the outer edges of the louver blades are provided with downwardly extending flanges while the upper inner edges have upwardly extending flanges and the erroneous conceptionhas been that these constructions will preclude air from blowing the water up the louver blades. Because of these lower depending flanges the water will drain from the inclined blades and collect in large drops and are blown inwardly of the louver and are the cause of lack of rain tightness.

The present invention has for one objective the provision of means to prevent water being carried through the louvers by wind velocity or direction of rain flow.

Another object is to collect the Water running downwardly of the louvers and carrying it off outside of the louver.

A still further object is to provide louvers of such formation as deflect the water outwardly despite the angularity of the inrush of water.

in the drawings,

Figure l is a fragmentary perspective of my improved louver.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the louver.

Figure 3 is a vertical cross-section taken through the central portion of a louver.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary front elevation of the louver shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic sectional view of a conventional louver, while Figure 6 is a similar diagrammatic sectional view of the subject invention.

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the downwardly and inwardly sloping troughs.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 10 refers to the main frame having a plurality of angularly disposed louver blades 12. The number of blades shown in the various figures vary and the shape and number are not of importance for these are determined by the sizes of the openings where installed.

Referring particularly to Figures 3 and 4, the intermediate louvers 12 comprise a main flat portion having a top flange 14 turned backward at an angle until they almost lie in the same plane as the main portion for a purpose to be later described. Another flange 16, of U- shaped formation, is formed from the bottom of the main section to form a trough 17 extendingacross the entire front of each louver blade.

As particularly shown in Figures 4 and 6, the blades 12, 18 and 32, are positioned so'that they slant or taper inwardly and downwardly toward the central support; This obviously results in directing an appreciable amount of the flow of water toward the receiving troughs 18 and eventually into the openings 48 in the central support.

Although two of these intermediate louver blades 12 shown in Figures 3 and 4 are identical in cross-section it is to be noticed that the top louver 18 difiers'slightly in that the upper flanges 20, meeting at the apex of the louver, is secured to the under surfaces 22 of the top 24 which overlaps as at 26. Vertical flanges 28 also overlap as at 30. A lower louver 32, of the same angularity as the louvers 12 and 18, is provided with a vertical downwardly depending flange 34 which is secured, by welding or other means, to the vertical flanges 28 of the roof to form the frame which, in the particular disclosure, forms a triangle.

Vertical standards or supports 36, 38 and 40 are provided and these have right angular flanges 42. The lower standard 36 has a flange 44, bent to rest on the lower louver 32 and its flange 34. This flange 44 is secured to the louver 32 and'its flange as by rivets 46, or by welding. These standards 36, 38 and 40, overlapping at the top and bottom, are also secured to each other in a simiiar manner, as by rivets or welding at 47, and are relatively shallow in depth.

Cut-out portions or openings 48 are formed from the flat surfaces of the U-shaped flange 16 or trough 17, centrally of. the standards 36, 38 and 40. The purpose of these cut-out portions will subsequently beapparent.

In Figure 4 a conventional screen 50 is indicated which is removable and can besecured to the upper edge 52 of the louver 32 and a flange 54 of the top 24 by rivets or welding 56.

it can be appreciated that rain beating in from the outside will strike the angular louvers and because of these angularities will merely bounce outwardly and downwardly and then run down the louvers into the troughs 16 instead of hanging on the edges. Even though these troughs are horizontal it is readily apparent that they may be constructed to taper slightly downwardly toward the center to further expedite the flow of water into the cut-out portions or openings 48. So instead of the water remaining in these troughs, it will fall into these openings in each trough and be collected and carried away into a down spout 49 as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 1, which is positioned directly below that portion of the flange 44 which is secured to the lower blade flange 34. Accordingly, it is obvious that no Water-is retained on the structure as it is immediately carried off the individual louvers into the downspout. The turned-back flanges 14 additionally prevent the rain from being blown over the top of the louvers by a strong wind or current of air and as a matter of fact, the rain would theoretically have to travel almost vertically upward to get over these turned-back flanges or oaflles.

In Figure 3, which is a fragmentary elevation as viewed from the outside of the louver and from the vertical sectional view in Figure 4, the travel of the water out of the louver can be readily traced. As the water is collected in the troughs 17 it runs immediately out of the openings 48, running down the standards 36, 38 and 40 into the downspout 49.

To further illustrate the action of the rain coming against louvers, I have shown a diagrammatic view in Figure 5 of a conventional louver while the comparative action of the rain against the subject louver is diagrammatically shown in Figure 6. In the conventional types of louvers the rain drops strike the louver blades 58 where they form into large hanging drops 60 along the lower edges of the louver blades and then usually caught by the moving air and split intoin smaller drops 62 and are blown: upwardly not along. the blades but through the spaces 64 above the blades into the dwelling.

However, in Figure 6, as the rain drops hit the louver blades they run downwardly but donot collect, as in the conventional louvers, but are caught in the troughs or gutters 17 and gravitate toward the openings and the accumulated water falls downwardly through the successive openingsin the middle of the standards. Because of the side flanges 42 the accumulated water is retained thereinas it falls downwardly to the bottom of the lower Ushaped standard into the downspout.

In Figure 7, the modification shows the troughs 16 tapering inwardly and downwardly toward the standards 36; 38, 38 and 40. As water is collected in the downwardly sloping troughs 16 it passes through the openings 48 into the standards where it is immediately carried off into the aforementioned downspout 49.

It is also to be noticed that because of the facing on the wire screen 50 on the outside side of the lower louver blade, the mist that might be accumulated on this screen will run down onto the blade 32 and drain outside instead of behind as in. the conventional method of fastening the screens to the back of the lower blades.

Although I have disclosed herein the best form of the invention known to me at this time, I reserve the right to all such modifications and changes as may come within the'scope of the following claims.

I. claim:

I. In a louver construction having a plurality of spaced blades the upper ends of which are turned backwards, troughs formed on the lower ends of said blades having an opening in the lower portion thereof, a U-shaped central support having spaced flanges, said support secured to the intermediate blades, said troughs tapering inwardly and downwardly toward said central support, said support comprising a plurality of sections welded together, a flange on the lower end of said support secured to the lower blade, a downspout positioned centrally and below said blades and said support, and openings in said support in communication with each other and said downspout whereby water collected in said troughs is substantially eliminated from said louver construction.

2. In av louver construction having a plurality of spaced blades the upper ends of which are turned backwards, troughs formed on the lower ends of said blades having an opening in the lower portion thereof, a U-shaped central support having spaced flanges, said support secured to the intermediate blades, said troughs tapering inwardly and downwardly toward said central support, a flange on the lower end of said support secured to the lower blade, a roof provided with a vertical front flange, said roof securedto flanges onthe upper blade, at downspout positioned centrally and below said blades and said support, and openings in said support in communication with each other and said downspout whereby water collccted in said troughs is substantially eliminated from said louver construction.

3. In a louver construction having a plurality of spaced blades the upper ends of which are turned backwards, troughs formed on the lower ends of said blades having an opening in the lower portion thereof, a U-shaped central support having spaced flanges, said support secured to the intermediate blades, said troughs tapering inwardly and downwardly toward said central support, a flange on the lower end of said support secured to the lower blade, a roof provided with a vertical front flange, said roof secured to flanges on the upper blade, a downspout positioned centrally and below said blades and said support, openings in said support in communication with each other and said downspout whereby water collected in said troughs is substantially eliminated from said louver construction, and a removable screen secured to said roof and. the inner end of said lower blade.

4. In a louver construction having a plurality of spaced blades the upper ends of which are turned backwards, troughs formed on the lower ends of said blades having. an opening in the lower portion thereof, a U-shaped central support having spaced flanges, said support secured to the intermediate blades, said troughs tapering inwardly and downwardly toward said central support, a flange on the lower end of said support secured to the lower blade, a roof provided with a vertical front flange, said roof secured to flanges on the upper blade, a downspout positioned centrally and below said blades and said support, and openings in said support. in. communication with. each other and said downspout whereby water collected in said troughs issubstantially eliminated from said louver construction, a removable screen secured to said roof and the inner end ofsaid lower blade, and said vertical roof flange and said bottom blade flange secured together whereby said louver construction is enclosed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,309,717 Siebenlist Feb. 2, 1943 2,382,075 Leslie Aug. 14, 1945 2,458,134 Belden Ian. 4, 1949 2,480,562 Ewing Aug. 30, 1949 2,587,509 Moyer et al Feb. 26, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 201,745 Great Britain Aug. 9, 1923 341,556 Great Britain Jan. 22, 1931 559,091 Great Britain Feb. 3, 1944 

